“A new breakfast spot is reason enough to see an old friend.” Most of us have probably seen this quote floating around; it’s had its day and it’s one of my favourites. I truly believe that the best of friends are ones whom you haven’t seen in months, or even years, but just pick up exactly where you left off. Sometimes it’s a life event that brings you back together or return from long holidays or the spark of a memory that triggers the rekindling but in my case, it was the fortuitous bumping into while out that sparked the promise of an imminent catchup. Wide Open Road was our venue of choice where Bron and I could catch up on the times we’d missed knowing that good food, good coffee and good company awaited us.
Wide Open Road
http://wideopenroad.com.au/274 Barkly St Brunswick
9387 6079
Wide Open Road’s exterior doesn’t necessarily appeal to the eye; a solid brick building shared with an rather solemn ‘John Palermo’ sign loomed before me on this rainy day. Being optimistic, I powered forward, pushing back the heavy door, and was pleasantly surprised by my findings. A modern interior with a high ceilings and visually appealing display of cakes and coffee greeted me, contrasting starkly with the ugly front building. My hopes restored, I was ushered to my seat with a long black soon on the way. Wide Open Road roast their own with plenty of single and multi-origin blend options available.
The menu is a healthy mix of sweet and savoury, with dishes like chia seed pudding with almond milk for the health nuts or coconut and rhubarb bread with a silky coffee mascarpone (for the not so health nuts) accompanying those like Swiss mushroom gratin or Zucchini, Quinoa and Mint fritters. Being the earthy fiends we are, we opted for the latter two and neither were disappointed.
Tangy, crunchy, hearty and full of health, my fritters hit the spot without stuffing me overly. Preserved lemon complemented rich eggs while mint added bursts of flavor.
For something to warm your soul, the mushroom gratin oozed of smokey mozzarella while the bitter cavolo nero offset the crispy fried polenta chips that soaked up the flavours.
Neither dish were overly large: Wide Open Road isn’t the place to opt for a large feed. However what lacked in quantity was made up for in quality, namely flavour, as our stomachs weren’t assaulted but our taste buds were.
I loved the vibes at Wide Open Road, especially on a rainy day, on which one can snuggle inside and enjoy the dulcet tones of the coffee grinder at work. While more expensive than most in the Brunswick area, the ingredients and combinations of food paired with fantastic coffee provide another great option off Sydney Road.
